Visit Lima : The Grey culinary Capital of Unexpected Treasures

Through a great gray cloud stretching from north to south, from east to west, that the plane flies silently to reach the city of Lima. This one is also called by ancestral tributes Rimac, the name of the river that crosses it. Almost always covered by a great gray fog, the first impression is nothing but a great chaos of cars and people as only capitals can contain.

I get on a tourist bus for $8 to reach the Miraflores neighborhood, where my hostel, KACLLA, The Healing Dog Hostel, is located. The prices are very affordable – maximum 12$ – in one of the safest areas of Lima. Miraflores offers a lot of bars to go out at night and the possibility to visit the ruins of Huaca Pucllana or walk along the beach and through the Parque del Amor.

Huaca pucllana and the Lima culture

The great pyramid of Huaca Pucllana gives a good introduction to a variety of pre-Inca cultures and religious rites for the sea and the sun. Admission is by guided tour only and costs about 10 soles. This one is rather evasive and very disparate with a very touristy cuys and llama farm …

In particular, we learn about the quality of the adobe (a mixture of earth and water brought from the river by irrigation), burial, and religious cults for the god of the sea. All this in order to discover the first civilization of Lima. (see article pre-Inca cultures)

The restaurant of Huaca Pucllana next door is quite expensive for a Peruvian restaurant but offers a variety of local products. Its view of the pyramid is beautiful in the evening, at least if you have a drink on its large patio.

And if you have liked this little cultural break, why not visit the Lima museums?

The museums of Lima

There are two museums to be honored in Lima, the galleries of Larco. A wealth of knowledge on pre-Columbian art and the different civilizations that have lived in Peru (Mochicas, Chimus, Incas, etc.). And for the sum of 35 soles, you will have access to more than 45,000 ceramics, jewelry, and statues … You will have fun discovering the pottery, and the sacred animals such as the snake, the lynx, and the condor. You will marvel at the weapons or other funerary vessels in the shape of a human face.

The decoration next to it is the one used during Chimu ceremonies, probably a funeral in the capital of Chan Chan. Completely decorated, it is one of the rarest pieces in the museum.

Don’t hesitate to look at more on the google art gallery.

The second museum to see is the Museum of Modern Art (MALI), inaugurated in 1961, it was inaugurated to show more than 3000 years of Peruvian art history (pre-Columbian, colonial, revolutionary, and modern).

You can walk among the first Mochica jewelry or Paracas embroidery, past Catholic paintings or Inca recipients. My favorite painting in this museum was “The Three Races or Equality before the Law” by the 19th century artist Francisco Laso. In this oil painting, he represents three social classes with the three ethnic groups most present in Peru. These three ladies are playing cards, each in her most noble pose. This places the white woman in an egalitarian position with the others.

Don’t hesitate to look at more arts from the MALI museum through google art.

After this cultural break, let’s turn to the historic center. And let’s take advantage of being at the MALI museum to take a walk in the park around it.

Visit the UNESCO historical center of lima

The Park of the Exposition is the first place to visit, as it is surrounded by some beautiful buildings such as the Art Museum or the Courthouse. The influence of the Italian architect Antonio Leonardi is particularly evident in the Museum of Italian Art. This square, as its name suggests, will host the unofficial Lima World’s Fair in 1872 to promote tourism in Peru.

If you go north towards Plaza San Martin, you will see this huge statue of the Argentinian general José de San Martin who defended the independence of Peru and several other countries. This square is also the entrance to the historic center, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.

Along Jirón de la Unión Street is the Church of the Mercy. This old baroque basilica has on its façade the image of Our Lady of Mercy, patron saint of the Peruvian army and of the first missionaries of the Order of Our Lady of Mercy who evangelized Lima.

Continuing along the same street, you will come to the famous Plaza de Armas and its Cathedral, next to the Government Palace. The neoclassical Saint-Jean Cathedral was built in the 16th century but has been renovated several times since. Don’t hesitate to visit it if you can or wait for the Dominical Mass.

The next monument to visit is the Franciscan Church, Basilica and Convent of St. Francis of Assisi. Famous for its elite private schools, you will still see some students from good families.

Eating in Lima

Here is a non-exhaustive list of places I recommend to eat local food:

• La Terraza del Pardo : A semi-gastronomic restaurant at the Hilton Miraflores. It serves Peruvian dishes in particular.
• Restaurant du Huaca Pucllana : The restaurant is located opposite the Huaca Pucllana pyramid. The terrace is beautiful and serves Peruvian cuisine.
• La mar cebichería peruana : One of the best 50 restaurants in South America. It serves the best ceviches, prepared in a variety of ways.
• Ceviche Express : A simple cebicheria in the heart of the historic center.

My map to visit lima

Of course, there are many places to see in the historic district or also to Barranco (this district abound with colorful signs) and it would be sad to stop there. But let’s not forget that the basis of traveling is to discover by yourself your on gem …

The following map allows you to summarize all the information and to visualize it better. There are restaurant recommendations that you will find more in detail in another post.

You will ask yourself, why this title of Grey Capital? This, dear friends, you will discover, unfortunately, if you stay a long time in this beautiful culinary agglomeration. The cliff by the sea and the mountains surrounding the city keep most of the clouds away, creating this phenomenon of a gray city… But you can be lucky and see the sunshine sometimes.

My next trip will take me to the city of Cusco in search of Pachacutec and the Incas… I hope to see you in this other post.